Brittni Carr and Dr. Barbara Mandleco, BYU College of Nursing
Introduction:
According to Cohn, the number of children in the United States with a disability has increased to 5.2 million, making 1 in every 12 children disabled (2002). This number continues to rise with every passing decade, so more research is being done concerning the parenting of these children. While some studies have been done relating to religiosity and coping, there is a falling out in the literature on religiosity’s correlation to family hardiness. These two variables greatly influence the upbringing and development of CWD. Some researchers have assessed that a parent’s faith helps him or her through stressful situations (Dura-Vila, Dein, & Hodes, 2010), but does it strengthen the entire family’s relationship? There is also a lack of research done on the differences between mothers’ and fathers’ view on hardiness and whether the type of disability affects hardiness. This information will be analyzed in order to help these parents and children have a better quality of life. This will also allow nurses to have more information when caring for these children with disabilities and their parents.
Methodology:
After IRB approval and consent of participants, 233 families living in a western state and raising children with autism (n=63), Down syndrome (n=43), other disabilities (orthopedic impairment, intellectual disabilities, emotional or physical disabilities) (n=51), multiple disabilities (both physical and intellectual disabilities) (n=32) or typically developing children (n=34) independently completed the 20 item Family Hardiness Index (McCubbin, McCubbin, & Thompson, 1991), a 13 item scale assessing public and private religiosity and spirituality (adapted from Litchfield, Thomas, & Li, 1997 and Buck, 1996), and a six item spirituality scale (adapted from Buck, 1996). Mothers also completed a demographic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, correlations, and regressions were used in analyzing the data.
Results:
Mothers’ private/public religiosity and spirituality scores were significantly higher than fathers’ scores. Differences were noted according to type of disability: parents of typically developing children (M = 3.26) and parents raising children with MD (M = 3.32) had higher hardiness scores than parents raising CWA (M = 3.11). However, parents of children with OD had higher hardiness scores than parents raising children with MD (M = 3.19). Mothers’ and fathers’ public/private religiosity, spirituality were positively correlated with their family hardiness. In multiple regression analyses, we controlled for family income, parent education, total number of children in the family, the age of the CWD, and parent caregiver burden (to indicate the level of stress the parent experienced). The relationship between mothers’ private religiosity and hardiness was still significant. The equation explained 27% of the variance in mothers’ hardiness. The relationship between public religiosity and hardiness was significant before and after including the controls as well. The equation explained 25% of the variance. Spirituality and hardiness had the same results with the equation explaining 26% of the variance. Amongst fathers, there was not a significant relationship between fathers’ private religiosity and hardiness. However, after adding the control variables, the relationship became significant. The equation explained 27% of the variance in fathers’ hardiness. The relationship between public religiosity and hardiness was approaching significant. After adding the control variables, the relationship became significant. The equation explained 27% of the variance. Lastly, there was a significant relationship between fathers’ spirituality and hardiness before and after adding the control variables. The equation explained 34% of the variance of fathers’ hardiness.
Discussion:
It is not a surprise that there is a higher correlation between hardiness and private religiosity because worshiping in private is something done only for oneself and very directly affects one’s attitude. To continue on that note, spirituality has an even higher correlation with hardiness. Spirituality is one’s belief in higher powers. According to this study, this belief system in something greater than oneself leads to a more positive outlook when in times of struggle.
Conclusion:
Public and private religiosity and spirituality had a significant relationship with family hardiness after controlling for family income, education, total number of children, the age of the CWD, and caregiver burden of both mothers and fathers. Therefore, it would be important to provide information to parents about seeking comfort and strength from spiritual sources in order to strengthen family hardiness as they care for their child.